"Experience", the best teacher

[suijuris]

I mentioned in another thread that I felt a lot could be learned from the recent hurricane tragedy in the gulf states.

So, what are your thoughts, how can we learn to better plan on an individual level, to cope with and survive the ensuing aftermath of such an event?

Let the ideas flow... I have a few but it is late so I will give others the first chance.

[Purge]

I found a web page which has many hours of discussion on Family Preparedness.
I've listen to a couple and they are excellent.

[weishaupt1776]

With the jamming of radio signals, I was wondering if there is any counter surveillance equipment which can "unjam" the signals

The standeyo.com site book "Dare to Prepare" is a must in that it is 600 SOLID pages with no wasted space of survival info for DIFFERENT geographical areas.

It looks like they have some free info
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/menu.72hr.html
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/menu.long.term.html

The full menu is here
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/Hollys.html

First and foremost is food and water preparedness. Shelter can be improvised. Food and water cannot be improvised (unless you have cannibalistic tendencies, and I don't).

Second would be protection (guns) and ammo, and all that goes with that, cleaning supplies, etc., Gas masks, medical supplies, etc.

Third, I would think that would be good is communication equipment. If someone is jamming signals, this would need to include a beefed up amplifier, and if you could do it, a microwave (directed) dish that's somewhat concealed.

Just some thoughts.

Henry Franklin

[Fazer700]

I have found a wealth of information by Joel M. Skousen http://www.joelskousen.com/ I have read 2 of his books "How to Implement a High Security Shelter in the Home" which tells you step by step how to make a survival shelter in your existing basement or even turn a master bedroom closet into a safe room while waiting for the police to arrive or the threat to leave. Its very detailed with construction plans for hidden entry doors and bullet proof walls (1 1\2 to 2 in. stone placed in between the sheet rock. Existing construction or new construction he talks about it all. I also read "The Secure Home" which is 684 pages of self survival ideas, plans, equiptment lists and even vendor web sites. His information of Nuclear War is priceless if you are like myself and though "oh well, we will be vaporized in a milli second" you are wrong and he lays out a serious plan that would have anyone surviving a nuclear attack except if you are with in 5 miles of the blast site. He also talks about EMP protection (electro magnetic pulse). If you implemented half of his ideas you would be prepared to handle anything from a power disruption, to a hurricane, to the New World Order invading the USA with the United Nations Peace Keepers.


Fazer

[iamfreeru2]

As HB has said food and water is crucial. Also put a field pack together with a pup tent, spade, knife, hammer and other tools. Make sure you take matches and put them in water tight plastic bags. Anyone that has been in the military knows what I am referring too. The best food supplies are MREs. These have a long life span and are pretty good for dehydrated food. A good rifle with ammo is important for hunting food as well. Some fishing line and hooks are also good in case you are near a stream or lake that you can fish. A pole can be made out of a branch of a tree or if you are in an area with bamboo that makes an excelent fishing pole. There are many ways to survive after a catastrophe like a hurricane, earthquake, etc. Research the survival sights on the internet for other tips.

[Fazer700]

One thing that I forgot to mention is evacuation. If you live in a City or Metro area like I do in Jersey, besides having an evacuation location to go to, like a relatives house or your own retreat. You need to have multiple pre planned routes to get there. If you didnt bug out early and left with the masses you would want to avoid the interstates as much as possible also you need to see in advance how many different bridges you can use to get across a certain body of water. This may sound a little wacky but if there was a nuclear attack on our country I have learned that one of the first things the Russians would have to do would be to detonate multiple nuclear warheads in outer space causing an EMP Electro Magnetic Pulse that would destroy all of our computers (home car TV and radio stations) unless you drive an older car you will be stuck. So it might me prudent to take that into consideration also. I believe we will see in our life time a major nuclear attack on our own soil. I also believe it will not be in a city but at locations that would hinder our ability to counter attack. The web site I posted earlier and the books from it that I read makes a strong case as to why this will happen and how 90% of the population could survive if they were prepared. Most of the deaths would not be from the blast but from the radiation sickness that followed days, weeks and months after.


Fazer

[suijuris]

One thing I learned is that when order breaks down, those who are not prepared to defend themeselves will essentially beg for martial law.

Another observation is that the government cannot be trusted to be available at crunch time, regardless of their intentions.

How many people in potential flood zones have boats, life vests, or some makeshift floatation devices to keep them from drowning?

[RickA]

As for the people begging for martial law, I can see people doing that, but as per:
CFR(Code of Federal Regulations)
http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/do...501.html#501.1
Well, according the section 501.1 of the code of federal regulations, I can see incompetence being the trigger for martial law during the next catastrophy.
Speaking of incompetence, isn't that the word some folks have been bandying about over this hurricane?

[macerico]

Oh, where to start. :(

Frankly, I'm not sure what to believe about Katrina....government experiment, natural disaster, both, etc.?

Either way....

I grew up in South Florida. Hurricanes and heavy rains were a fact of life. We knew what our house would withstand as far as hurricanes, how flood-prone our parcel of land was, and when evacuation was a requirement.

Never had to do anything more than storm-prep the house for some heavy storms and one hurricane (David) when I lived down there, but we took EVERY storm seriously.

So, when Andrew devastated South Florida, I felt no sympathy for people. They were warned for decades that they would be forced to leave and nothing with be there when they got back, but they wouldn't listen.

New Orleans proves that the state will not provide for you. Getting to safety is your own problem.

New Orleans proves that if you stay behind because it is safe for you to do so, expect that they will send in troops to confiscate your weapons so they can force you out at gunpoint if they want to with no resistance.

New Orleans proves that the very last place you want to go in a crisis is a government-run relocation shelter.

New Orleans proves that FEMA will only make a matter worse, not better.

All you can do is know the dangers you face...both natural and man-made. Have a plan and be as prepared as you possibly can. Always have a few days supply of food and the means and knowledge of how to obtain potable water.

OWN A GUN FIT FOR SURVIVAL LIVING...OWN SEVERAL IF YOU CAN JUSTIFY THE ENCUMBERANCE.

DO NOT EXPECT YOUR HIDEAWAY TO BE SECURE OR PERMANENT. Disasters can happen anywhere, and if the government sees fit to try and move you by force, your only option is to find a new palce or fight to stay. From what I'm reading from people I consider to be conservative and independent-minded, the brainwashing that it's okay for the government to seize weapons and arrest people resisting the order to leave perfectly sound homes is taking root. I suspect you can't expect public outrage to protect you from abusive police powers. :(